Habitat Restoration Accomplishments 2005-2022
While there still are pathways where salmon and people can thrive in the Pacific Northwest, the options are narrowing quickly. To fully seize the moment and make real progress, Washingtonians must recalibrate their relationship with salmon and the environment. Reimagining a future with abundant salmon requires people to remove barriers, discard outdated preconceptions, listen to each other, and elevate shared values.
Although restoration has improved
habitat in many areas, much work remains and will be complicated by the enormous impacts of climate change and anticipated population growth. Without significant changes to how Washington accommodates human population growth, salmon populations will continue to decline. The fundamental question is whether Washington State can elevate the needs of salmon. Restoring habitat that already has been damaged will not be enough to recover salmon. How Washington manages the landscape, which is determined by local, state, and federal land-use decisions, will determine whether salmon can be saved from the brink of extinction.